Composition pattern for make-up of type forms



Oct. 18, 1955 T. v. BERGQREN 2,720,829

COMPOSITION PATTERNFOR MAKE-UP OF TYPE FORMS Filed Dec. 15, 1949 FIEL 1 2 Sheets-Sheet l "ELT" fa d" Oct. 18, 1955 v T V, BERGGREN 2,720,829

COMPOSITION PATTERN FOR MAKE-UP OF TYPE FORMS Filed Dec. l5 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O COMPOSITION PATTERN FOR MAKE-UP OF TYPE FORMS Thurston V. Berggren, Hinsdale, Ill., assigner to Uarco, Incorporated, a corporation of Iliinois Application December 1'5, 1949, Serial No. 133,101 7 Claims. (Cl. lOl- 12) This invention relates to a composition pattern for make-up of type forms, and in particular it relates to a type of subdivided container in which Subdividers may be disposed in any predetermined fashion to obtain any desired arrangement of printed matter.

The device of this invention is particularly advantageous in the make-up of forms which are employed in the printing of continuous form stationery, such as invoices, ledger sheets and the like. A large percentage of such continuous form 'stationery is used in typewriters, and it is necessary to get the transverse lines on the form properly spaced for the standard spacing of a typewriter. This requires considerable time in making up the type form for each particular job.

In manifolding stationery there are basic lay-outs which are repeatedly used on different jobs. With 'the ordinary make-up operation each job must be individually set-up, and all the various measurements rer-established even though the majority of the elements are common to several jobs.

With the device of the invention, it is possible to leave the standardized portions of an invoice form set up, and merely replace a few lines carrying the users name and address, for example. Even where it is necessary to change the horizontal and vertical lines in going from one job to another, if the spacing between horizontal lines in the two successive jobs remains the same much time may be saved by reason of the fact that the pattern itself need not be broken down.

In high speed operation it is customary to make a matrix and to cast a type plate from lthe matrix. Thus the type which is set in the composition pattern is not ordinarily used for direct printing, but is merely used to take an impression from which a plate for direct printing is made. The plate may be of rather soft rubber, and secured to a cylinder for a rotary printing operation.

It is obvious that when such a rubber type plate is wrapped around the press cylinder, the spacing between the lines increases, or stretches, the amount of stretch depending upon the circumference of the cylinder. One of the most time consuming problems in setting up the type form is the computation of stretch due to the use of the rotary press, and the insertion in a type 'form of the proper type spacers to obtain the desired spacing between lines during the actual printing operation.

On a typical cyimder of the type used in the manifolding industry, the stretch of the plate on the cylinder may amount to two points per inch, which means that the stretch from one line of type to the next will be a fraction of a point. There are no fractional point printing spacers available, and it thus becomes necessary for the make-up man or type setter to insert paper spacers to get the exact stretch allowance on each line.

The present composition pattern consists generally of a plurality of rectangular footing members which provide a plane surface upon which to set the feet of movable type, with a thin separator member between adjacent pairs of footing members, the separator members pro- 2,720,829 Patented Oct. 18 1955 jecting above the plane surface formed by the lfooting 4members and .acting as `supports for the movable type. Means are provided for retaining the footing members and separator members in their assembled position, and a frame member completes the pattern and serves to retain the type against endwise displacement.

VThe footing members are preferably .001 inch wider than the type which is to be used, thus leaving a small tolerance so that a set up line of type and slugs from a Linotype machine may readily be inserted between the adjacent separator members. Each separator member `is of the proper thickness to space adjacent lines of type -a desired distance apart. The separator members must be of the requred thickness to give the proper spacing between for Hat bed press operation, diminished by a yfractional part of the amount which the lplate will stretch as Yit is placed on a rotary press cylinder. In rotary press work the thickness of Va separator will thus ordinarily be a certain number of points, diminished by a fraction of a point. Once this thickness has been computed and the pattern assembled for a manifolding sheet of any predetermined length and width, that pattern may then be left assembled, but for removing a side plate to insert new type when desired. Separator members of different thickness are required for diierent lay-outs, or where the press cylinders are of different sizes or for Hat-bed press work. Any shrinkage in the matrix may also be allowed for in the separators.

The device of this invention reduces composition or .make-up time by as much as in making up for rotary press work, and by a lesser amount in at-bed press work. A rotary press make-up job which would require about l1/2 hours work by a skilled make-up man using convention-al equipment may be performed by a relatively unskilled worker in 30 to 40 minutes by the use of this device.

Thus, the principal object of the invention is to provide a device which reduces composition or make-up time by: (a) speeding the operation of spacing lines of type; (b) reducing the time required for registering or matching one form with another; (c) eliminating the time required to compute stretch or shrinkage in the printing medium or in the matrix or mold from which the printing medium is made.

The device likewise eliminates the lockup operation which includes the steps of squaring, justifying and clamping a type form in a frame.

The device also reduces the time required to read proof prior to molding the matrix because it is unnecessary to check spacing, shrinkage or stretch allowance, and squareness and justification.

A further object is to provide a device which permits easy disassembly of dead forms.

-A further object is to provide a compact composition pattern which permits greater loading of molding presses or rollers than is possible with ordinary locked type forms.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. l is a plan view of a composition pattern in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof; Fig. 4 is a perspective view thereof with one of the side frame elements removed as in setting up a form; and Fig. 5 .is a section taken as indicated on the line 5-5 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, a plurality of elongated, rectangular footing members 10 are of identical length and height to provide a plane supporting surface for the feet of movable type. Interspersed between the footing members 10 are separator members 11 which are thin, rigid plates, the ends of which are ilush withthe ends of the footing members and which extend substantially above the plane surface afforded by said footing members. The separator members retain the predetermined spacing between adjacent lines of type.

A frame member, indicatedY generally at 12 includes two end frame elements 13 and left and right side frame elements 14 and 15 which form the outer margin of the pattern and arein contact with the outer upright `surfaces of the footing members and with the ends of the separator members. The frame member 12 serves to retain the type in operating position, in particular preventing endwise displacement.

The footing 4members 10, separator members 11 and end frame elements 13 are provided with registering apertures to receive threaded pattern assembly rods 16 which extend, as best seen in Fig. 5, entirely through the bottom of the pattern and receive nuts 17 to retain the adjacent portions of the pattern in their assembled positions.

The frame end elements extend beyond the ends of the footing members and separator members and are provided with holes to receive left frame assembly pins 18 and right frame assembly holes 20 in the ends of the frame side elements 14 in order to retain the frame elements in their assembled positions.

In using the composition pattern, footing members 10 of any desired width to properly accommodate thesize type to'be used in the finished formare set up with separator members 11 of the correct predetermined thickness in any desired pattern. T heframe end elements Y13 are put in placeV and the pattern assembly rods 16 run through Vthe apertures and rrnly fastened with nuts 17, The left sideframe element 14 may likewise be pnt in place and secured by means of the left frame assembly bolts 18. Set lines of type from a ,Linotype machine, cut to proper length by the conventional saws, may be inserted in the pattern with the type, feet resting on the footing members 10 and distance apart by the separator members 11, the type face extending above the top edges of the separator members. When the pattern has been fully set with linesk of type, the iight side frame element may then kbe put in place -and secured Vby means of the right frame assembly bolts 19. Thus, when the type setting operation is completed, there is no need for a separate squaring, justifying and locking up operation.

It is plain that a great variety of type patterns may be achieved by varying the arrangement of the footing members 10 and separator members 11. Thus,'if it is desirable to set certain lines in point type and other lines in l2 point type, footing members 10 of different widths may be employed for the different lines. Likewise, if a cut is to be included, certain of the separator members 11 may be eliminated to make room for the cut; or if a cut is to appear, for example, in one' corner of the type pattern, separator members 11 having aportion ush with the plane surface formed by the footing members 10 vmay beV employed to make room for the cut. yIt is thus seen that almost Vunlimited pattern arrangements are possible. K

As employed in the foregoing specification and in the claims hereof, the terms type or movable type are used in their broadest senserto include all the material used in composition of type forms, such as type slugs, rules, borders, cuts, type spacers, etc.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be'understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those .skilled in the art. Y

I claim: I l. A composition pattern for makeup of movable type from which to form a matrix, comprising: a pair of frame end members; a plurality of alternately arranged planar footing andV upstanding separator members locked bepins 19 which extend intol the lines of type held a suitableV tween said frame end members to provide a seriesV of rectangular channels each of which is adapted to slidably receive a line of type with the type feet 0n the footing members and the type faces projecting above the separator and frame end members, and a pair of frame side members extending between and secured to said frame end members, at least `one of said frame side members being removable.

2. The composition pattern of claim 1 in which the frame end members, footing members and' separator members` are provided with registering apertures, and a pair of long tie rods extend through Vsaid registering apertures to lock said members together.

3. The composition pattern of frame end members extend laterally beyond the footing members and separator members, and said end members and the frame side members are provided with registering apertures to receive pins by means of which said frame side members are secured to said frame end members. Y

4. A permanent composition pattern for make-up of movable rigid type for the periodic preparation ofa plurality of different matrices from which to castr printing plates which are to be used in the printing of similar Y stationery forms in which the spacing between lines-of printing is a critical, xed distance, comprising: `a rectangular frame, andV a plurality of alternately arranged planar footing and upstanding separator members locked within said frame to provide a series of rectangular channels which extend below the top margin of said frame, each of said channels being adapted to slidably receive a line of rigid type with the type feet on the footing members and the type faces projecting above the separator Y members and frame, each of said separator members being of a predetermined thickness such that lines of rigid type may be made up in the channels, amatrix may i be formed from said type, a printing plate may be cast from said matrix, and forms may be printed from saidplate which will have their lines of printing spaced apart precisely the critical, fixed distance, said pattern being repeatedly reusable to make up lines of type whenever a stationery form is to be printed havingsaid critical, xed

distance between lines of printed matter.

5. A permanent composition pattern for makeup of movable rigid typeY for the periodic preparation of a plurality of different matrices Vfrom which to cast printing plates which are to be used in the printing of similarf stationery forms in which the spacing between lines of printing is a critical, `xed distance, comprising: a rectangular frame, and a plurality of alternately arranged planar footing and upstanding separator members locked within said frame to provide a series of rectangular channels which extend below the top margin of said frame, each of said channels being adapted to slidably receive a line of rigid type with the type feet on the footing members and the type faces projecting above the separator members and frame, each of said separator members being of a predetermined thickness such that lines of rigid type may be made up in the channels without leading, a matrix may be formed from said type, a printing plate may be cast from said matrix, and forms may be printed from said` plate which will have their lines of printing spaced apart precisely the critical, fixed distance, said pattern being repeatedly reusable to make up lines of type whenever a stationery form is to be printed having said critical, iixed distance between lines of printed matter.

6. A method of periodically printing similar stationery forms in which the spacing between lines of printed matter is a critical, fixed distance, comprising: assembling a permanent composition pattern in which a plurality of alternately arranged planar footing and upstanding separator members are secured in a frame to provide a series of rectangular channels which extend below the top margin of the frame and in which each channel is adapted to claim l in which thev slidably receive a line of rigid movable type with the type feet on the footing members and the type faces projecting above the separator members and frame, setting in said channels the particular pieces of movable type needed to produce a particular stationery form, forming a matrix from said type, casting a type plate from said matrix, and printing forms from said plate, each of said separator members being of a predetermined thickness which provides a space between adjacent channels such that the lines of printing in said stationery form are spaced apart precisely the critical ixed distance, and reusing said composition pattern with any required movable type each time a stationary form is to be printed having said critical, fixed distance between lines of printed matter.

7. A methd of periodically printing similar stationery forms in which the spacing between lines of printed matter is a critical fixed distance, comprising: assembling a permanent composition pattern in which a plurality of alternately arranged planar footing and upstanding separator members are secured in a frame to provide a series of rectangular channels which extend below the top margin of the frame and in which each channel is adapted to slidably receive a line of rigid movable type with the type feet on the footing members and the type faces projecting above the separator members and frame, setting in said channel without leading the particular pieces of movable type needed to produce a particular stationery form, forming a matrix from said type, casting a type plate from said matrix, and printing forms from said plate, each of said separator mem- References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 35,929 Foster July 22, 1862 208,181 Kellogg Sept. 17, 1878 545,635 Moore Sept. 3, 1895 669,080 Folger Mar. 5, 1901 723,665 Folger Mar. 24, 1903 807,177 Klohe Dec. 12, 1905 921,974 Ginsburg May 18, 1909 960,684 Nicholas June 7, 1910 1,073,791 Brooks Sept. 23, 1913 1,197,726 Evensen Sept. l2, 1916 1,600,025 Wegman Sept. 14, 1926 1,609,816 Halderman v Dec. 7, 1926 1,923,116 Ritenour Aug. 22, 1933 2,041,499 Swift et al. May 19, 1936 2,087,355 Oliver July 20, 1937 2,182,802 Frazier Dec. 12, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 167,694 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1921 258,719 Great Britain Sept. 30, 1926 

